England’s Department for Education (DfE) has said teachers can use artificial intelligence (AI) for marking and for writing letters to parents, the BBC reports.
The BBC says it has seen training materials that outline for the first time how teachers in England should use AI.
The materials say teachers can use AI to “help automate routine tasks,” the BBC reports. They include an example of how AI might be used to prepare a letter to parents about a health issue at school.
The DfE says AI could also be used for some marking, like for quizzes or homework — though it also says teachers must check the results, and they must be transparent about how they’re using AI.
Schools have also been asked to clearly outline situations where teachers and students are allowed to use AI, while students should be taught how to spot fake content and misinformation.
Bridget Phillipson, the secretary of state for education, said the goal was to “cut workloads” so teachers can focus on providing “inspiring teaching and personalized support.”
All around the world, schools have been trying to decide what to do about AI, as students have quickly begun to use it to plan their studies, get answers to questions, and do their homework for them. Some even use it to make fake videos to trick their teachers or bully other students.
Emma Darcy, who helps schools learn to use new technology, told the BBC that teachers have a “responsibility” to learn how to use AI — because their students are already using it. She said teachers should know how to use AI so they can help young people use it properly.
By November 2023, 42% of school teachers in the UK said they had already used AI for their work — while 74% of 16-to-24-year-olds said they had used it.
